I must admit, I think I may have been a bit hasty with my response to Anthony Smith (although in my defense, it was a hasty reply in response to many hasty replies I have read by mr. smith). I think he is dead accurate when he says "the change needs to be structural." I am assuming that this statement is all-encompassing--referring to the political system, the economy (big business, WTO, etc.), health care, national defense, etc., etc. etc. Well Anthony (should you ever visit my site and read this), I agree. I only question the possiblity of this change ever occuring.

From the days before this country was even formed, in the early days of the colonies, there has been seperation of class and race. The rulers and governors were almost always from the aristocracy, the rich, the land owneres. Indeed, one could not vote if they did not own land. I was wondering on my drive home how many presidents have we had that attended an ivy-league university. Could it be all of them? I don't know, but perhaps some motivated person will do the research. Politics is mired in classism, elitism, racism, ism ism ism. The structural change you seek cannot be earned by political means, nor should it be. Politics in this country has always, in one way or another, been about the people with money, the people with connections, the people with power. It has only been by these people, for these people.

If you are looking for some woman or man in office to change the structure, then you are naive. Change happens where YOU are at . . . where I am at . . . where our feeble attempts are taken and sprinkled with grace. That is why you work at the homeless shelter. That is why I work with at-risk teenagers. And maybe someday if you or I find ourselves in some political office in Nebraska or Georgia or Oregon, then maybe we can start to change something by political means. Until or unless that ever happens, we are where we are, and we have only the tools in our toolbox to use. You keep using the hammer, and I'll keep using the flat-head.

So screw you.